The Imperial Hunt
by Blintz Winters
Summary: When Mongols attack the Emporer's castle the two servants, Viet and Kiku, have to help the three royals, Yao Mei and Kaoru, escape and become stronger to drive them out. Eventual Yao/Kiku, and Yong Soo/Kauro


**Blintz Winters does not own Hetalia.**

Battle cries rung out in the once silent night air, lit up by tendrils of fire lashing toward walls of stone, guarding the palace. Villagers were awoken, and then sentenced to an eternal sleep by the harsh arrows of the invaders. Many, if not all, were forced to endure this, for there was nothing they could do. They were not warriors or fighters and could not fend them off. It was an ambush; the dirtiest form of fighting.

The first to awake, inside the palace, was a woman. The servant saw flickers of light just beyond her eyelids, and they fluttered open, taking in the receding and flailing shadows dancing on walls of the room. Then the screams, foreign voices and words, resounded in her ears. She gasped, swinging her legs to the side of the straw cot kneeling by the other motionless body lying close to her. The woman shook the lump's shoulder, whispering, "Get up, now! We have to get out!"

It sat up; a male named Kiku, and whispered back, "Viet-san?" Viet took no notice, moving on to wake the others, more forcefully than she had them. Kiku saw the strangely lit up sky and flew to her side. "What's happening, Viet-san?" Kiku asked, warily glancing toward the open window.

"Someone's attacking; we have to get to the royals." Viet glanced over her shoulder to the nearest room, Thai's. "We have to wake the others. Come on." The floor under their running feet was cold; an omen that no one noticed.

"Thai, get up!" Viet cried, spotting the sleeping man's cot. Thai only shifted positions. "What -"

"We're being attacked; we have to get the royals!"

Thai instantly leapt up and took a second to examine the flashes of light that seemed to be growing stronger with every second. Realization struck him, and he led the through the hundreds of hallways that were meant to confuse the intruder. "They will go after the Emperor or the children first." Thai confirmed, moving faster. "We have to get them out."

Thai burst into the room, with Viet and Kiku close behind. The three frightened children were huddled in the corner of the room, arms wrapped protectively around each other. Viet realized they had never experienced an attack before; the last one was when she herself was a small child. Yao, the eldest, pulled his younger siblings up.

"What's happening aru?" Yao asked, looking to Thai for an answer. The two siblings under the wings of his arms, Kaoru and Mei, who was sniffling and clutching Kaoru's hand in her free one. Thai gestured to the hallway, and Yao huffed indignantly but led his brother and sister over to the receding group.

"We have to get you guys out of here, away from danger." Viet said, turning a corner that opened to the garden. Their frenzied foot falls were padded by the soft grass, surrounded by the silhouetted sculptures and decorative plants. Viet took Mei's hands in his to hurry her along. The palace was strangely quiet, but Thai assumed it meant the others had evacuated.

"What about my fa- the Emperor aru?" Yao asked again, glaring. "What will happen to him aru?"

"Don't worry; I'm sure the servants have taken them to safety." Thai murmured. "Everyone should be out by now."

Viet suddenly paused in her tracks, and slowly turned, pulling Mei with her. Her gasp drew the other to look up as well. The enemy had lit the palace on fire. Flames licked the sides of the roof, consuming the entire building rapidly. The wood was blackening and curls and embers flew off, smoldering the grass where it landed.

"Let's go!" Thai commanded, running to the stables, the rest hot on his trail. The ground was shuddering; Kiku dared a look over his shoulder and saw the intruders.

They were the feared and powerful Mongols; their armor glinted darkly from the light of torches and sparks, and the bows they clutched aimed to the garden. They all rode dark hued horses, pacing back and forth impatiently. Kiku's breath hitched in his throat, and he tore to the front of the pack, fear and panic building up in his chest.

One of the warriors spotted the group and cried out, kicking his steed on the side. The army surged forward, crushing the many hours of work spent to bring the garden to perfection. The steeds roared, seeming to run faster in the anticipation of bloodlust. Thai and Yao reached the stables first, grasping the horses' manes and leading them out of the barracks, helping the youngest onto the horses as the army advanced. The first steed took off with Viet and Mei; women first. Thai helped Yao and Kiku onto the second steed, and lifted Kaoru and himself onto the last.

The hooves clicked frantically on the stones of the streets as they attempted to throw off their pursuers by cutting through the town. Bodies lay contorted and scattered on ground, arrows sticking out of their chests and back. Blood was leaking from them and draining into the lower streets, creating a thick film. The scent of iron was strong and overpowering.

Mei was full out sobbing, and Viet had to maneuver an arm around her to keep her falling off. Thai yelled something and yanked the horse's head to the left, starting down another street that went to the outskirts of the town. The pounding of the Mongols' horses and the cries of blood spurred the horses to run faster, flashing through clearings between vacant houses. Mongols started to fire arrows at them as they cut down another clearing, slicing and whistling through the air.

They heard a grunt of pain, and a thump, but didn't question it. Kaoru felt the horse speed up with less weight, and choked silently, but wrapped his hands in its mane securely, as to not fall off. The stone lined road finally opened up, allowing them to escape out of the lifeless town. Every footfall of the steeds sent a tremor through their bodies that was in beat with their quick breath. As they retreated farther through the jade green grass and tall mountains shadowing their path, the Mongols seemed to slow down; give up.

They ran still, tearing through shadows and light, half expecting the army to burst out in front of them. The steeds were heaving, sweat running down their fur to evaporate in the wind, and Viet slowed down, coming to a trot. Mei slid off limply, falling to her knees to gaze at the pass they had come from.

"It's all… gone." She whimpered, rocking back and forth, tears sliding down her cheeks. "They destroyed everything… everyone."

Yao abandoned the horse, leaving Kiku to control the creature, and kneeled by his sister. "We are still here, and we're together aru." He said softly. "For now, we leave, but we'll be back aru. Right, Kaoru?" The silent boy nodded solemnly.

"And then we'll be back aru." He promised, running a hand down her long dark brown hair. She lifted her head and nodded.

"First thing, we have to get out of here aru. If they attacked us, then they'll attack others, so on aru." Yao stood up, Mei under wing.

"Ah, sorry." Kiku spoke up, navigating the horse alongside the pair. "But, if that's true, we have to go to another town, or further, correct?"

Yao sighed, pulling Mei closer. "Right. If that's what it comes to, then we should start now."

**So this is in the past, during the Jin Dynasty. The Mongols were real warriors and were real scary. They took over most of Europe and Asia. All cities/towns are faux, since I don't want to screw up any history. Anyway, this is human verse, and in next chapters it will be from a certain person's POV, instead of just a mish-mash of feelings. You can expect some new characters coming in as well.**

**Reviews and questions are welcome, and you can PM me if you're confused.**


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